Remembering a Prophet of God

On June 27th, 1844 an event occurred that the world didn't take much notice of at the time.  But I feel it's an important date to remember...the day that the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were murdered at Carthage Jail in Carthage, Illinois.

Who was this prophet some might ask?  After centuries of being lost, the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored through a prophet - just as the Lord had restored it in the Old Testament and how Christ set up His Church with prophets and apostles.

So on this day, I would like to remember Joseph Smith and his testimony.  He saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, translated the Book of Mormon, restored the priesthood (the power of God given to man to act in his name), built temples, and worked hard to establish the Church of Jesus Christ back on the earth.

While many may not know who he is, I do.  And I know that he was a prophet called by God to restore the fulness of the gospel - so that we could have the knowledge of the plan of salvation and the priesthood.  How grateful I am for that knowledge!

So thank you Heavenly Father for the restoration of your gospel and your Church!  And thank you Joseph Smith for doing all you could so that we could have this knowledge now!

Canyons and Why They Inspire Me

I am so excited!  Why? You might ask...

Because I am going to see my mom and my bro Clayton this weekend!  And I get to take some of my wonderful friends to see the Grand Canyon - one of the most awe-inspiring places that the Lord has put on this earth.  Going there seems to put everything into better focus and perspective for me.  Seeing the vastness of God's wonders and knowing that even though we can't quite see the bottom, it's still there.

I feel like canyons and mountains are a great symbolism for life.  The view is breathtaking, but the creation of such magnificent canyons took thousands and thousands of years of hard work.  They start out with a small stream running through them perhaps.  A little spot of ground not worth mentioning.  But through the years, that stream cuts through rock and sand to create something incredibly beautiful. 

Life can be difficult, but when we look back at our adventures I hope that there's an incredible view.  We will find that we too have deepened our understanding and our pain and our joy just as those small streams deepen those rocks into massive canyons.  When I stand at the top of my own personal canyon, I expect it to be glorious beyond description!

*Good Song: Just A Kiss by Lady Antebellum
*Good Book: Anne of Green Gables